ABSTRACT
Sudden unexplained deaths, especially those unwitnessed can lead to forensic issues and would necessitate the need for a meticulous and complete postmortem examination including ancillary investigations to discover the cause of death. We herein report a case of sudden unexplained death caused by malaria in an apparently healthy individual. This fatal case is presented to remind the forensic pathologist of the possibility of malaria as a cause of sudden unexplained death in malaria-endemic regions. In the present case, histopathological examination demonstrated the presence of parasitized red blood cells with malarial pigment in the blood capillaries in the brain, myocardium, pericardium, lungs, kidneys, liver, and the spleen. Cerebral malaria with acute renal insufficiency or pulmonary edema with an acute respiratory distress syndrome might have been the cause of death.
Subject(s)
Death, Sudden/etiology , Malaria/diagnosis , Brain/pathology , Erythrocytes/parasitology , Forensic Pathology , Humans , Kidney/pathology , Liver/pathology , Lung/pathology , Macrophages/pathology , Male , Middle Aged , Myocardium/pathology , Pericardium/pathology , Pigments, Biological , Spleen/pathologyABSTRACT
Determination of individuality is one of the prime concerns in forensic investigation. The study of fingerprints is widely used in providing a clue regarding identity. The present study was undertaken to study the sex differences in fingerprint ridge density in the Indian population. The study done on 100 males and 100 females revealed that significant sex differences occur in the fingerprint ridge density. The present study shows a statistically significant difference in fingerprint ridge densities of male and female fingerprints in people of Indian origin. A mean fingerprint ridge density of 12 ridges/25 mm(2) or less is found to be more likely to be of males and a mean ridge count of more the 12 ridges/25 mm(2) is more likely to be of female origin.
Subject(s)
Dermatoglyphics , Sex Characteristics , Adolescent , Adult , Female , Humans , India , Male , Young AdultABSTRACT
Injury to the male external genitalia is relatively uncommon when compared with other parts of the human body. Trauma to external genitalia could result from accidents involving motor vehicles, power farm machinery, gun shot and stab injuries. We present a rare case of traumatic degloving injury of male external genitalia associated with partial penile amputation and loss of both testes sparing the internal abdominal and pelvic organs, resulting from run over by a heavy vehicle tyre.
Subject(s)
Accidents, Traffic/statistics & numerical data , Genitalia, Male/injuries , Skin/injuries , Adult , Amputation, Traumatic/epidemiology , Amputation, Traumatic/pathology , Genitalia, Male/pathology , Humans , India/epidemiology , Male , Multiple Trauma/epidemiology , Multiple Trauma/pathology , Penis/injuries , Penis/pathology , Scrotum/injuries , Scrotum/pathology , Skin/pathology , Testis/injuries , Testis/pathology , Trauma Severity Indices , Wounds and Injuries/epidemiology , Wounds and Injuries/pathologyABSTRACT
Drowning is a major global public health problem which is amenable to prevention. According to the Global Burden of Diseases 2000 data, the number of deaths caused due to drowning is 449,000 people worldwide (7.4 per 100,000 population). The aim of this study is to derive a profile of drowning victims, to identify the successful drowning preventive measures that may be adopted or enhanced in Mangalore, a coastal Taluk of South India. Retrospective study of deaths caused due to drowning in an 11 years period between 1994 and 2005 was done by reviewing the medical records, the findings of which have been described later. Epidemiologic profiles of populations at risk and the contributing factors are highlighted while public safety measures are recommended.
